With America having almost the most vaccinated people in the world, being vaccinated is becoming more and more commonplace in America. Over 50% of citizens have both doses and in California 70% of people have at least one dose. With this new normal, will the vaccine become mandatory?
Students older than twelve in the LA school district will be required to get vaccinated. Students who do extracurricular activities such as sports must have both doses by the end of October while other students must be vaccinated by mid-December. All students who refuse to get vaccinated will be banned from in person school after winter break. This decision is sound because their main priorities are the safety of their students and keeping the school open, both of which are solved by mandatory vaccinations.
Something else you should know is that all businesses with over 100 employees will require vaccines. This change is estimated to affect 66% of the workforce in America. It may not seem like a lot because of the 70% rate of those vaccinated, but because most teens will get jobs from large companies or chains, most highschoolers will be forced to get the vaccine in order to work.
Requiring vaccines is nothing new, though. In California, students must be vaccinated for Polio, Diphtheria, Pertussis,Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B, and chickenpox. Adding COVID-19 to that list does not make much of a difference. This article is not here to comment on the validity of the vaccine, however it is important to remember that vaccines have always been mandatory and they probably always will be.